Can front-runner Rosa Applause leave them in her wake from the perfect draw in feature handicap?
This is a quality contest for a Class 4 race as some of these three-year-old sprinters might be capable of developing into classy handicappers in time and that is certainly true of Rosa Applause, who has shown loads of speed to win at Wolverhampton and Lingfield.
The Blue Point filly won by four lengths on the first occasion and three and three-quarter lengths the second time without seeing a rival, but it might not be so easy this time around.
Rosa Applause’s two wins came in novice company and she now makes her handicap debut in what is evidently a hot race off a mark of 85, so a career-best effort is likely to be needed.
That is possible, though, as she has the perfect draw for a front-runner in stall one from which she can jump and go, and joint-trainers Simon and Ed Crisford have an impressive 23 per cent strike-rate at Kempton in the last five years. They know what it takes to win a race like this.
The same can be said of Ralph Beckett, who has saddled more winners at Kempton in recent seasons than any other trainer in the race. He sends out the topweight Kingdom Of Riches.
The son of Acclamation makes his all-weather debut and needs to bounce back from a disappointing run at Goodwood last time, but his half-brother Sirius White did all his running on sand, including three wins, and that gives hope the surface will be suitable.
James Fanshawe is next on the list behind Beckett, and his runner is the most interesting. City House produced the outstanding performance of his career when scoring over course and distance last season, and if he is back in that sort of form it will take a good one to beat him.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway
What they say
Philip Robinson, racing manager to Sheikh Juma Dalmook Al Maktoum, owner of Rosa Applause
She’s well drawn in stall one and was quite impressive when winning well at Lingfield last time.
Philip Robinson, racing manager to Mohammed Jaber, owner of Blue Day
He won well at Southwell, but the first two just got away from him last time at Windsor. It was a day when they weren’t coming back, but he finished very well. I wouldn’t say he was unlucky, but he could have finished a bit closer.
Tommy Allen, assistant to Hamad Al Jehani, trainer of Solar Aclaim
He ran well at Doncaster on his first run back from Qatar. He’s unexposed on the all-weather, but has worked well on it. He’s not that well drawn, but we’ll leave that to James Doyle.
Chris Dwyer, trainer of Jimmy Speaking
He missed an engagement the other day, but is fine again now and we think Kempton will play to his strengths.
Reporting by David Milnes
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